My visit to the Wetlands Trail bog

Lots of Leatherleaf shrubs!

 We had a beautiful day for our trip to the bog on October 17.  We arrived at the Wetlands Trail in Newaygo county and followed the walkway into the bog.  We watched how the plant life transitioned into the bog.  We learned why plants were growing where they were.  We stopped at the "eye of the bog" and were amazed by how deep it was.  (I wondered if the 15'-16' branch was actually at the bottom or was the bog deeper still?)  We took core samples, light readings, pH levels, tested the nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen and water temperatures.

 In one area, we found cinnamon ferns, birch trees, a few white oaks (they didn't look so good), sphagnum moss, leatherleaf shrubs and mushrooms.
As we moved in, we found more cinnamon ferns, more sphagnum moss, cotton sedge and a bog tree!  Open canopy here and lots of nice warm sunshine!
In another area, we found more bog trees, a white pine, sphagnum moss, leatherleaf shrubs, Michigan Holly and grass (not moss).  We were transitioning out of the bog!

Red Shaghnum

  A bog is very acidic which is why the sphagnum moss likes it there so much, along with all the water of course!  To learn more about bogs go here:  MSU site on a bog

Close up of Leatherleaf shrub

Cinnamon Ferns

Button Bush

Bog Tree

Did you know that in some bogs there are plants that actually eat insects?   Cool......
Hey, a plant needs to do what a plant needs to do to survive!  (All those delicious nutrients...yumm!)

 Our group's mascot!